Autonomous Airflow Regulation System for Heating or Cooling or Ventilation of Premises

ABSTRACT

An autonomous airflow regulation system regulates airflow supplied into premises and mounted on airflow outlets. The regulation system includes at least one system unit including an airflow guiding mechanism furnished with louvers, an actuator receiving regulation commands and urging the guiding mechanism to pivot the louvers, a battery electrically connected to the actuator, a generator charging the battery, a turbine driving the generator, a remote control device forming the regulation commands set up by a user, and a wireless communication channel transmitting the regulation commands from the remote control device to the actuator. A number of such units can be associated with a central control unit providing climate control of the premises. The battery can have a port for initial charging from an external source. The wireless channel can be based on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology. The regulation system is electrically safer than similar typical systems and inexpensive.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to devices/systems providing airflow regulation, e.g. for regulation of cooling/heating/ventilation airflow in residential or commercial premises.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Though the related art contains numerous designs of devices for regulation of cooling/heating/ventilation in residential or commercial premises, many of them possess certain disadvantages, such as complexity, necessity for connecting to a regular electrical grid, etc.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,093 teaches: “An apparatus to regulate the temperature of the interior of a motor vehicle, including a room air temperature sensor and a heating air temperature sensor, with the room air temperature sensor providing a substantially higher controlled variable change per unit of temperature change and wherein the sensor signals are summed by a controller. The heating air temperature sensor consists of two series-connected temperature sensors of which one is thermally insulated. The sensor control signal is taken from the junction between these two temperature sensors so as to provide dynamic coupling of the heating air temperature sensor to the room air temperature sensor. In this manner, the room air temperature is sensed precisely and relatively more rapidly so that an excessively large fluctuation of the actual temperature is avoided if the heating output of the heat exchanger varies between a high and a low value.” The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,093 is complicated to manufacture and to use, and also expensive.

Another U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,527 teaches “The present invention relates to an integrated air turbine driving system for providing aircraft environmental control. The system has at least one air driven turbine for providing power to an aircraft mounted accessory drive and for providing heated air to an aircraft anti-ice system. The system further has a subsystem for supplying cooled pressurized air to a flight deck and/or cabin and to aircraft avionics. Still further, the subsystem provides cooling air to other aircraft components such as a generator and/or an aircraft mounted accessory drive.” The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,527 is even more complicated and expensive. It also requires a power supply source from an onboard aircraft electric system.

There is also known a Cooling apparatus with automatic louvre operating mechanism, taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,608: “A cooling apparatus comprising an air-cooled heat exchanger, a plurality of louvres to control a cooling air flow passing the heat exchanger, a mechanism for operating the louvres and means for actuating the operating mechanism according to temperature of the heat exchanger. The actuating means comprises a bar having a first end and a second end and being of a material having a considerably lower thermal expansion coefficient than that of the heat exchanger, said bar being attached by its first end substantially at a first end of the heat exchanger, and means for controlling the position of the operating mechanism in dependence on a difference in displacements of the second end.” The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,608 is also complicated and expensive, and requires connecting to an electric grid.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In certain cases of renovation and modernizing of existing premises, an outlet for supply of heat air, or cool air, or ventilation of the premises is mounted in a place that has no convenient access to an electrical power grid. However, almost every device for regulation of airflow needs an electric power supply. Establishing a connection to a regular power grid would usually require additional construction work and necessary equipment, and sometimes would require additional electric safety measures. This invention is intended to solve these or similar problems and proposes solutions that provide a power source for regulation of airflow, and, on the other hand, doesn't require establishing a connection to a regular electric grid. The invention provides for greater electric safety and is not expensive.

In a preferred embodiment, an inventive autonomous airflow regulation system is used for regulation of airflow supplied into premises from a heating/cooling/ventilation system. The regulation system comprises at least one system unit including: —an airflow guiding mechanism (a variable grille) mounted on an outlet of the heating/cooling/ventilation system supplying the airflow, wherein the airflow guiding mechanism includes a plurality of louvers capable of simultaneously pivoting; —an actuator receiving a regulation command; an accumulator battery capable of powering the actuator; —an electrical generator capable of charging the battery; —an airflow turbine capable of driving the electrical generator, wherein the turbine and the generator have a common shaft, and the turbine is driven by the airflow. The outlet of the heating/cooling/ventilation system can be arranged on a ceiling, floor, or a wall of the premises.

The turbine with the generator can be mounted below or above (or on either side of a wall) of the airflow guiding mechanism, so that the turbine can be rotated by the airflow. The actuator receives regulation commands formed by a remote control device and transmitted through a wireless communication channel to set up a desirable position of the louvers and thus regulating the airflow. The remote control device can further include a temperature sensor and a regulation knob facilitating a user to operate the remote control device.

For regulating the airflow in large premises, the inventive airflow regulation system can comprise a number of the aforementioned system units, while the remote control devices can be associated with a central control unit providing climate control of the premises.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a set of components for assembling a system unit of an airflow regulation system, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the system unit assembled, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a lateral view of the system unit mounted on an airflow outlet situated on a ceiling of premises, wherein the unit's turbine is located at the bottom of the system unit, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a lateral view of the system unit mounted on an airflow outlet situated on a ceiling of premises, wherein the unit's turbine is located at the top of the system unit, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and will be described in detail herein, specific embodiments of the present invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2. The inventive autonomous airflow regulation system is used for regulation of airflow supplied into premises from a heating/cooling/ventilation system.

As shown in FIG. 1, the inventive regulation system of a heating/cooling/ventilation system supplying airflow into premises comprises: at least one system unit, including an airflow guiding mechanism 2 mounted on an outlet 9 of the heating/cooling/ventilation system. The airflow guiding mechanism 2 includes a plurality of louvers capable of simultaneously pivoting. The system unit includes an actuator 1 (e.g. a controllable electro-magnetic motor) receiving a regulation command and rotating the louvers to a certain angle determined by the regulation command. The actuator 1 is electrically connected an accumulator battery 7 (shown separate in FIG. 1) capable of powering the actuator 1 (the electric connection is not illustrated). The battery 7 can be incorporated into the actuator 1.

The system unit includes: an electrical generator 3 electrically connected to the battery 7 (the electric connection is not illustrated), and capable of charging the battery 7 during rotation of the generator 3; an airflow turbine 4, capable of driving the electrical generator 3, wherein the turbine 4 and the generator 3 have a common shaft, and the turbine 4 is driven by the airflow coming from the outlet 9.

Since the battery 7 can be discharged during a certain period of time while not operating, the battery 7 can have a port (not illustrated) for initial charging from an external voltage source (not illustrated) that allows for the actuator 1 to rotate the louvers to an initial angle, thereby opening the airflow guiding mechanism 2 to start rotating the turbine 4, driving the generator 3, and further charging the battery 7.

The system unit also includes: a remote control device 5, possibly equipped (for cooling or heating the premises) with a temperature sensor (not illustrated) regulated by a regulating knob 6 capable of being turned by a user, who presets a desired temperature. The remote control device 5 transmits regulation commands (e/m signals) to the actuator 1. The transmission can be made wireless and implemented using a wireless channel 8 (e.g. via Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth, etc.).

Particularly, the airflow guiding mechanism 2 can be made as a rocker mechanism as shown in FIGS. 1-4, actuated by the actuator 1 and causing the louvers to pivot from a zero-angle to a maximum-angle corresponding to the regulation command, thereby regulating the airflow.

When the louvers of the airflow guiding mechanism 2 are so positioned that the outlet 9 is opened, the airflow comes out from the outlet 9 and rotates the turbine 4 driving the generator 3. The generator 3 charges the battery 7 powering the actuator 1, thereby allowing the actuator 1 to operate (i.e. rotate the louvers) and regulate the airflow.

The outlet 9 of the heating/cooling/ventilation system can be arranged in a ceiling, floor, or a wall of the premises. FIGS. 3 and 4 show different arrangements of positioning the generator 3 and the turbine 4 in relation to the ceiling outlet 9. In FIG. 3, the generator 3 and the turbine 4 are positioned below the ceiling outlet 9 (i.e. projecting inside the premises), whereas, in FIG. 4, the generator 3 and the turbine 4 are positioned above the ceiling outlet 9 (i.e. hidden inside the outlet).

The inventive regulation system can be composed of a number of the above described system units regulated by a common central control unit (not illustrated) to provide climate control in the premises.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures methods and systems for carrying out several purposes of the present invention. It is therefore important that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As opposed to the claims, the foregoing abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the instant application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 

I claim:
 1. An autonomous airflow regulation system for regulation of airflow supplied into premises from a heating/cooling/ventilation system; the regulation system comprises at least one system unit including: an airflow guiding mechanism mounted on an outlet of said heating/cooling/ventilation system, wherein the airflow guiding mechanism includes a plurality of louvers capable of simultaneously pivoting; an actuator receiving regulation commands; said actuator is coupled to and urges the airflow guiding mechanism to pivot the louvers setting up a position of the louvers, and thereby regulating said airflow; an accumulator battery electrically connected and supplying power to said actuator; an electrical generator capable of charging said accumulator battery; an airflow turbine capable of driving the electrical generator, wherein the turbine and the generator have a common shaft, and the turbine is driven by said airflow; a remote control device regulated by a user; the remote control device forms said regulation commands according to the user's regulation; and a wireless communication channel capable of transmitting said regulation commands from the remote control device to the actuator.
 2. The autonomous airflow regulation system according to claim 1, wherein said outlet is arranged on a ceiling, floor, or a wall of the premises.
 3. The autonomous airflow regulation system according to claim 1, further comprising a number of said system units, while the remote control devices of at least some of said number of the system units are associated with a central control unit providing climate control of the premises.
 4. The autonomous airflow regulation system according to claim 1, wherein said accumulator battery has a port for initial charging from an external voltage source.
 5. The autonomous airflow regulation system according to claim 1, wherein said wireless channel is built based on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth technology.
 6. The autonomous airflow regulation system according to claim 1, wherein said airflow guiding mechanism is made as a rocker mechanism actuated by the actuator and causing the louvers to pivot from a zero-angle to a maximum-angle corresponding to the regulation commands. 